Warrenspiece: Senators and Sharks connections are deep, cash shortage on the San Jose Blue Line and recorded at Gustavsson

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For an extended period after the turn of the millennium, the Ottawa Senators and the San Jose Sharks shared the glory of being perennial Stanley Cup threats.

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Sharks were the senators of the West, for years seemingly only a piece or two from reaching the top.

Now organizations are linked by seemingly endless personal connections and exchanges, adding so many layers to Thursday’s game …

THE COACH’S TABLE

After Senators head coach DJ Smith arrived in May 2019, he reached out to Bob Boughner, the recently fired head coach of the Florida Panthers, to see if he was interested in the assistant job. Smith was previously Boughner’s assistant with OHL’s Windsor Spitfires. Boughner, however, was waiting for another head coaching opportunity, which then came up in San Jose.

“Bob came for dinner on Wednesday,” Smith said. “We lived a mile from each other, and at home (in Windsor) we played golf together in the summer. Outside of these two games (against each other), I support him and he supports me. “

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WHAT HAPPENED WITH…?

As much a Brady Tkachuk sweetheart, there was a push in the Sharks locker room to win one for Erik Karlsson, who had lost 6-2 and 5-2 in his two previous appearances at the Canadian Tire Center. Karlsson helped in that cause with a sweet pass to prepare Kevin Labanc for a power play goal in the second period, giving him five points in his first eight periods this season.

The game also served as motivation for potential former senators Rudolfs Balcers and Jonathan Dahlen. Balcers arrived in Ottawa with Chris Tierney and Dylan DeMelo in the Karlsson trade. Exposed to the exemptions, San José claimed it in January.

“I saw it coming, training camp (in 2021) wasn’t going so well,” said Balcers, who was not interested in revisiting the story behind Tkachuk, Tim Stuetzle, Nick Paul and Alex Formenton in the Senators. left wing depth chart.

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The new / old house agrees with him. Balcers, who remains close to Drake Batherson, currently skates in a second line for the Sharks with William Eklund and Tomas Hertl.

“He’s the guy who does a lot of dirty work on that line,” Boughner said. “We hope he will play an important role and we think he is going to have a great year.” … Watch out for pending unrestricted free agent Hertl as the trade deadline approaches… North Dakota’s meeting with the Senators ‘Shane Pinto and the Sharks’ Jasper Weatherby didn’t last long. There was no immediate update on Pinto’s status, but he played only one turn in each of the first two periods. In the short term, however, is Logan Shaw’s opportunity to seize. He played 4:49 in the first period alone.

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THE DAHLEN AGREEMENT

In February 2017, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was in the dock for switching 2016 second-round pick Dahlen to Vancouver for Alex Burrows. Then the senators bought the final year of Burrows’ contract in 2018.

Dahlen, meanwhile, has taken time to show NHL watchers what all the fuss was about, scoring his first two NHL goals against Montreal on Tuesday. In his previous four seasons, he had a tumultuous season in the Canucks organization, was traded to the Sharks and returned home to play in a second division league in Sweden.

“He won’t dazzle you with his speed or his play on open ice, but he’s more of a small area player,” said Boughner, who has him lined up with former Ottawa 67 star Logan Couture and Timo Meier. “His defensive game is smart. When he gets the puck, he always seems to make the right play and be in the right place. “… Great opportunity for Matt Murray in the first period when Labanc’s high-angle goal was canceled when video review showed the play was off. of game.

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TODAY’S STATISTICS

Karlsson’s actual salary this season is $ 14.5 million, making him the highest paid player in the NHL. Add in Brent Burns and Marc-Edouard Vlasic and the Big 3 on the Sharks’ blue line are making a combined $ 29.25 million this season. After this season, there are five years left on Karlsson’s contract, four years left on Vlasic’s contract and four more to enter Burns’ contract … Lost in the minors for five seasons, former blue line player 67, Jake Middleton, is suddenly the center of attention as Karlsson’s Defense Partner. Chosen by the Los Angeles Kings with the 210th and final pick in the 2014 entry draft, Middleton had played just 14 NHL games before this season.

THE GOALKEEPER SHUFFLE

Filip Gustavsson, reassigned to Belleville after Sunday’s orderly win over Dallas, is expected to start Friday against Cleveland. With Mads Sogaard and Kevin Mandolose currently injured playing in Belleville’s first two games, that would make him three goalkeepers in three games for Ottawa’s AHL franchise. Of course, the fold change is nothing new for Belleville coach Troy Mann. In just 35 games last season, the team used seven goalkeepers… Sharks goalkeeper James Reimer has played more games against the Senators than against any other team. It is not surprising. He’s an All-Star when he plays them, entering the game with a 15-6-3 record, 2.55 goals against average and .926 save percentage against the Sens. He had Stuetzle shaking his head in the first period.

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